Nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania, Stoll and Wolfe was established in 2016 by Dick Stoll, a legendary figure in the whisky industry, and Avianna & Erik Wolfe. This partnership drew deep inspiration from the historic legacy of Pennsylvania distilling, a region once celebrated as the heart of American rye whisky.
At the heart of Mossburn's whisky production is the art of blending. They are passionate about the craft of combining different whisky stocks to create harmonious and complex final expressions. They meticulously select casks from various distilleries, each contributing its own distinct flavour profile, and blend them to achieve a balanced and memorable whisky.
The first ever bottle of serious whisky I purchased (that is non-supermarket) was a GlenDronach, so it holds a special place in my heart. In September I was able to visit the distillery for the first time and enjoy a tour and tasting, in a rather opulent room whilst sitting at a large round table.
As a whisky writer, I have the privilege of receiving invitations to a multitude of events, allowing me the opportunity to sample a wide variety of fine and rare whisky. While my passion for whisky would ideally lead to comprehensive articles for each event and whisky, the constraints of time render this impractical. Consequently, I will be introducing a column to provide succinct summaries of my impressions.
Nestled behind the worn black doors of Duty Free Warehouse “No 3” lies a treasure trove of whisky barrels, meticulously stored over decades by the Gordon family. As proprietors of William Grant, the parent company behind brands such as The Balvenie and Glenfiddich, their 80-year legacy of astute laying down of casks has yielded an extraordinary collection of malt, grain and blended whiskies, notable for their high age statements.
Islay, the picturesque island nestled in the southernmost part of the Inner Hebrides, is renowned for its rugged beauty, rich history, and, most importantly, its whisky. Among the many distilleries that dot the island, the one name that has achieved mythical status is Port Ellen. I have yet to meet any lover of peated whisky who does not jump at every opportunity to taste the spirit from this closed distillery.
I typically abstain from writing about blended whisky, but it is necessary to change that stance given the resurgence the category is experiencing. Blended whisky, when crafted with care, can offer a delightful drinking experience, deserving far more recognition than it currently receives. Gone are the days of dismissive notions about inexpensive, characterless bottles; instead, we must shift our focus to the profusion of new premium releases that have emerged.
The realm of alcoholic spirits offers an array of delightful flavours to be savoured, experienced, and enjoyed. On rare occasions, a single spirit can evoke sheer, unfiltered joy, akin to the elation of an 8-year-old at a Disney theme park. While I refrained from bouncing up and down with excitement (out of respect for my fellow writers during our visit to Courvoisier to taste their new 2023 Mizunara Cognac), a beaming smile remained plastered on my face long after I had finished tasting.
Readers may recall my enthusiasm for Glenturret, which I previously extolled in a prior article (accessible here). Thus, when an invitation arrived to return to this historic distillery and sample the newest entry in their Trinity series, Prowess, I eagerly cleared my schedule. As an added treat, I was also afforded the opportunity to dine at Lalique, the distillery's Michelin-starred restaurant - a long-standing aspiration of mine since my initial visit to Glenturret in 2021.
I was going to start this feature by saying “Once in a while” but it needs to start with “Once in a generation”
